A typical home shower is normally provided with a generally rigid door structure supported by top, bottom, and side rails or is provided with a rigid curtain rod which suspends a shower curtain. In order to make the enclosure waterproof from the rest of the bathroom area, the doors or curtains normally extend completely from one side of the enclosure to the other and from a point near the shower floor to a point near or above the shower head. The enclosed nature of the environment normally means that the shower enclosure itself attains a higher temperature than the rest of the bathroom. This provides a comfortable environment for taking a shower but also results in one having to move from a warm, sheltered environment to a more open, and usually colder environment to get a towel for drying oneself. Many bathrooms exacerbate this problem by having an exhaust fan which removes steam from the room while the shower is running. Such fans help in controlling mildew and other moisture-related problems but also cool the bathroom quickly.
Thus, the temperature change from one environment to the other can be quite drastic. Such a change is, at the very least, uncomfortable, and can have detrimental health effects, ranging from muscular discomfort to the creation of an environment in which a person is more susceptible to a viral infection or cold.
While in many cases, a towel rack is provided outside the shower and possibly within reaching distance, the person must usually endure the initial rush of cooler air. In opening the shower door or curtain to reach for a towel, the warmth of the shower enclosure is quickly dissipated, thus leading to the discomfort and other problems mentioned above. Where no rack is provided close to the shower and a bather has to go across the bathroom to get a towel, the possibility of slipping and consequent injury is of serious concern.